Dogs are naturally curious and often explore their surroundings by sniffing, chewing, or even ingesting plants. However, many common flowers and plants can be highly toxic to dogs, leading to severe health complications. As responsible pet owners, it’s essential to be aware of these hazards and ensure a safe environment for our furry companions. Below is a list of 20 dangerous plants and flowers for dogs.
Toxic Flowers for Dogs
- Lily (Lilium spp.) – Extremely toxic, lilies can cause severe kidney failure in dogs if ingested.
- Tulip (Tulipa spp.) – Tulip bulbs contain toxic alkaloids that can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, and central nervous system depression.
- Daffodil (Narcissus spp.) – The bulbs and flowers contain lycorine, which can cause severe vomiting, abdominal pain, and convulsions.
- Oleander (Nerium oleander) – All parts of this plant are highly toxic, causing heart issues, drooling, and tremors.
- Azalea (Rhododendron spp.) – Contains grayanotoxins that can result in vomiting, diarrhea, and potentially fatal heart problems.
- Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) – Contains cardiac glycosides that can cause heart failure, drooling, and seizures.
- Hydrangea (Hydrangea spp.) – Contains cyanogenic glycosides, leading to vomiting, lethargy, and diarrhea.
- Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum spp.) – Contains pyrethrins, which can cause vomiting, drooling, and skin irritation.
- Peony (Paeonia spp.) – Contains paeonol, which can lead to vomiting and diarrhea if consumed in large amounts.
- Amaryllis (Amaryllis spp.) – Contains lycorine, which can cause gastrointestinal distress and tremors.
Toxic Plants for Dogs
- Sago Palm (Cycas revoluta) – Highly toxic; ingestion can lead to severe liver failure and death.
- Aloe Vera (Aloe barbadensis miller) – While beneficial for humans, it contains saponins and anthraquinones that cause vomiting and diarrhea in dogs.
- English Ivy (Hedera helix) – Ingesting ivy can lead to excessive drooling, abdominal pain, and vomiting.
- Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) – Contains insoluble calcium oxalates, causing oral irritation, swelling, and difficulty swallowing.
- Dieffenbachia (Dieffenbachia spp.) – Also known as dumb cane, it causes mouth irritation, drooling, and difficulty breathing.
- Rhododendron (Rhododendron spp.) – Similar to azaleas, ingestion can lead to serious gastrointestinal and cardiovascular issues.
- Castor Bean (Ricinus communis) – Contains ricin, one of the most potent toxins, leading to severe poisoning and organ failure.
- Yew (Taxus spp.) – All parts, except the berry flesh, are toxic and can cause sudden cardiac arrest.
- Autumn Crocus (Colchicum autumnale) – Contains colchicine, which causes severe vomiting, liver and kidney damage, and respiratory failure.
- Lantana (Lantana camara) – Contains toxic compounds that can cause vomiting, weakness, and even liver failure.
What to Do If Your Dog Ingests a Toxic Plant
If you suspect your dog has ingested any of these toxic plants or flowers, take immediate action:
- Contact your veterinarian or an animal poison control center.
- Identify the plant and how much was consumed.
- Do not induce vomiting unless instructed by a professional.
- Monitor your dog for symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, drooling, or seizures.
Complete List of Extremely Poisonous Plants for Dogs
Here are all the plants known to produce the more serious side effects (you can also find a list with photos on the ASPCA’s website):
- Adam-and-Eve (also known as Arum, lord-and-ladies, wake robin, starch root, bobbins, cuckoo plant)
- African wonder tree
- Aloe
- Amaryllis (also known as belladonna lily, Saint Joseph lily, Cape belladonna, naked lady, Barbados lily)
- Ambrosia mexicana (also known as Jerusalem oak, feather geranium)
- American mandrake (also known as mayapple, Indian apple root, umbrella leaf, wild lemon, hog apple, duck’s foot, and raccoonberry)
- American mistletoe
- American yew (also known as Canada yew, Canadian yew)
- Apple (including crabapples; stem, leaves, and seeds contain cyanide, but the fruit is OK for dogs)
- Apricot (stems, leaves, and pit contain cyanide)
- Arrowhead vine (also known as Nephthytis, green gold naphthysis, African evergreen, trileaf wonder)
- Australian ivy palm (also known as Schefflera, umbrella tree, octopus tree, starleaf)
- Autumn crocus (also known as naked ladies)
- Azalea
- Baby doll ti plant (also known as ti-plant, good-luck plant, Hawaiian ti plant)
- Barbados pride (also known as peacock flower, dwarf poinciana)
- Barbados pride 2 (also known as bird of paradise, Poinciana, brazilwood)
- Begonia
- Bergamot orange
- Bird of paradise flower (also known as crane flower, bird’s tongue flower)
- Bishop’s weed (also known as false Queen Anne’s lace, greater ammi)
- Bitterroot (also known as dogbane hemp, Indian hemp)
- Bittersweet (also known as American bittersweet, waxwork, shrubby bittersweet, false bittersweet, climbing bittersweet)
- Black calla (also known as Solomon’s lily, wild calla, wild arum)
- Black laurel (also known as dog hobble, dog laurel, fetter bush, sierra laurel)
- Black walnut
- Bog laurel (also known as pale laurel)
- Borage (also known as starflower)
- Boxwood
- Branching ivy (also known as English ivy, sweetheart ivy, California ivy)
- Brunfelsia (also known as lady-of-the-night, kiss-me-quick, Franciscan rain tree)
- Buckwheat
- Burning bush (also known as spindle tree)
- Buttercup (also known as figwort)
- Butterfly iris
- Calamondin orange
- Calla lily (also known as trumpet lily, arum lily, pig lily, white arum, florist’s calla, garden calla)
- Caraway
- Cardboard palm (also known as cardboard cycad)
- Carnation
- Castor bean plant
- Chamomile
- Chandelier plant (also known as devil’s backbone)
- Cherry (stem, leaves, and pit)
- Chinaberry tree (also known as bead tree, China ball tree, paradise tree, Persian lilac, white cedar, Japanese bead tree, Texas umbrella tree, pride-of-India)
- Chinese evergreen
- Chinese jade (also known as silver jade plant, silver dollar)
- Chives
- Chrysanthemum (also known as mums)
- Clematis (also known as virgin’s bower)
- Clivia lily
- Coffee tree
- Coleus (also known as bread-and-butter plant, Spanish thyme, East Indian thyme)
- Corn plant (also known as dragon tree)
- Cow parsnip (also known as giant hogweed)
- Cowbane
- Cyclamen
- Daffodil (especially the bulbs)
- Dahlia
- Daisy
- Desert rose (also known as desert azalea, mock azalea)
- Deadly nightshade (also known as climbing nightshade, poisonous nightshade, woody nightshade, and blue nightshade)
- Dieffenbachia (also known as dumb cane)
- Dog daisy
- Eastern star
- Elephant ears (also known as taro, malanga, and Caladium)
- Elephant-ear begonia
- Emerald fern (also known as emerald feather, asparagus fern)
- Epazote (also known as Mexican tea)
- Eucalyptus
- Fetterbush (also known as maleberry, staggerberry)
- Fleabane (also known as horseweed, showy daisy)
- Florida beauty (also known as gold dust dracaena, spotted dracaena)
- Foxglove
- Gardenia (also known as Cape jasmine)
- Garlic
- Geranium
- Giant dracaena (also known as palm lily, grass palm)
- Gladiola
- Glory lily (also known as gloriosa lily, climbing lily, superb lily)
- Good luck plant (also known as golden bird’s nest, snake plant)
- Grapefruit (skin and plant parts; fruit isn’t toxic)
- Heavenly bamboo (also known as sacred bamboo)
- Hellebore (also known as Christmas rose, Easter rose)
- Holly (also known as American holly, English holly, European holly, Oregon holly, inkberry, winterberry)
- Hops
- Horse chestnut (also known as buckeye)
- Hosta
- Hyacinth
- Hydrangea
- Indian rubber plant (also known as fig, weeping fig)
- Iris (also known as flag, snake lily, water flag)
- Iron cross begonia
- Jack-in-the-pulpit
- Jade plant (also known as baby jade, dwarf rubber plant, Chinese rubber plant, Japanese rubber plant)
- Japanese yew (also known as Buddhist pine or Southern yew)
- Jerusalem cherry (also known as winter cherry)
- Jonquil
- Lambkill (also known as sheep laurel)
- Larkspur
- Laurel (also known as mountain laurel, bay laurel)
- Lavender
- Leek
- Lemon (skin and plant parts; fruit is non-toxic)
- Lemon grass
- Lemon verbena
- Lily of the valley
- Lily-of-the-valley bush (also known as andromeda japonica)
- Lime (skin and plant parts; fruit is edible)
- Lobelia (also known as cardinal flower, Indian pink)
- Locust
- Lovage
- Macademia nut
- Madagascar dragon tree
- Mapleleaf begonia
- Marijuana (also known as Indian hemp, hashish)
- Marjoram
- Mayweed
- Metallic leaf begonia
- Milkweed
- Mint
- Mole bean plant
- Morning glory
- Narcissus (also known as paper white)
- Nightshade (also known as black nightshade)
- Oleander
- Onions
- Orange (skin and plant parts; fruit isn’t toxic)
- Oregano
- Painter’s palette (also known as flamingo lily, flamingo flower, pigtail plant, and oilcloth flower)
- Parsley
- Peace begonia
- Peace Lily
- Peach (stem, leaves, and pit)
- Pencil cactus (also known as sticks of fire)
- Peony
- Periwinkle (also known as running Myrtle)
- Philodendron
- Plum (stem, leaves, and pit)
- Poinsettia
- Poison hemlock (also known as deadly hemlock, winter fern, California fern, Nebraska fern)
- Pothos (also known as golden pothos, taro vine, devil’s ivy)
- Prayer bean (also known as rosary bean, Buddhist rosary bean, Indian bean, Indian licorice)
- Prickly ash (also known as Angelica tree, prickly elder, Hercules’ club, devil’s walking stick)
- Primrose
- Privet (also known as wax-leaf)
- Purslane (also known as moss rose, rock moss)
- Ragwort (also known as golden ragwort)
- Ranger’s button (also known as swamp white heads)
- Red-marginated dracaena
- Red sage (also known as shrub verbena, Lantana, yellow sage)
- Rex begonia
- Rhubarb
- Sago palm
- Shamrock plant
- Skunk weed (also known as skunk cabbage, swamp cabbage, polecat weed)
- Sorrel
- Spring parsley
- St. John’s wort (also known as Klamath weed)
- Striped dracaena
- Sweet pea (also known as everlasting pea)
- Sweet William (also known as pinks)
- Tahitian bridal veil
- Tarragon
- Tobacco (also known as tree tobacco, mustard tree, Nicotiania)
- Tomato plant
- Tulips
- Wandering Jew
- Watercress
- Wisteria
- Yarrow (also known as milfoil)
- Yucca
Final Thoughts
Many popular plants and flowers can pose a serious threat to dogs. Before bringing new greenery into your home or garden, research its safety. Creating a pet-friendly environment helps ensure your dog stays happy, healthy, and safe from toxic plants.
